Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry
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A high anion gap in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) suggests that some unmeasured anions must contribute to the generation of the anion gap. We investigated the contribution of D-lactate to the anion gap in DKA. ⋯ Plasma D-lactate levels are highly elevated and associated with metabolic acidosis and the high anion gap in DKA. Laboratory monitoring of d-lactate will provide valuable information for assessment of patients with DKA.
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Comparative Study
Clinical performance of a new point-of-care cardiac troponin I assay compared to three laboratory troponin assays.
Studies of cardiac markers in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have mostly been performed using central laboratory platforms. The AQT90 FLEX TnI (troponin I) assay is designed for quantitative point of care testing (POCT). This study evaluated clinical performance in diagnosing AMI of the AQT90 FLEX TnI POCT assay compared with central laboratory troponin assays. ⋯ The AQT90 FLEX TnI POCT assay was marginally inferior to the two laboratory based assays of cTnI in diagnosing AMI. A high (NPV) may make this assay suitable as a rule out marker.
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Candidate genes associated with telomere length maintenance, an important molecular marker for biological aging, represent potential risk predictors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). To date, no prospective data are available. ⋯ The present large prospective study encourages further investigation of the biological role of telomere-associated pathway genes in the pathogenesis and early assessment of vascular events.
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Urine drug monitoring is used by physicians treating chronic pain patients with opioid therapy. Patients are tested in part to insure that they are not taking other drugs. Therefore, the finding of hydrocodone in a patient who is only prescribed oxycodone has clinical implications. Oxycodone preparations are known to have small amounts of hydrocodone as an impurity estimated to be < 0.1%. We established the concentration of unexpected hydrocodone in patients taking oxycodone. ⋯ The high frequency of hydrocodone in samples containing high concentrations of oxycodone was ascribed to the manufacturing process of the oxycodone medications. However, a significant number of patients also took hydrocodone that was not listed on their prescribed medications. When oxycodone is > 100,000 ng/ml, hydrocodone should be <1500 ng/ml. When oxycodone is < 100,000 ng/ml then hydrocodone should be <500 ng/ml. Values greater than these indicate non-prescribed hydrocodone use. Clinicians and laboratories testing urine for drugs should be aware of the possibility of low concentrations of hydrocodone in the urine of patients taking high doses of oxycodone.